Mattress



March 21, 1961 M. M. FREEMAN 2,975,437

MATTRESS Filed Feb. 25, 1960 l 42 40 I A I 34 48 g J: I 44 w 24INVENTOR. MORRIS M. FREEMAN MAW ATTORNEY MATTRESS Morris M. Freeman,'Cheltenham, Pa., assignor to- Bedding Manufacturers Associates, Inc.,Philadelphia,

Pa., a corporation of Delaware.

Filed Feb. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 10,418

5 Claims. (Cl. 5-351) The present invention is directed to a mattress,and more particularly to a mattress which enables relatively rigidsprings to be utilized and yet give the effect of a relatively softmattress.

In recent years, the use of so-called hard mattresses has increasedgreatly. Frequently, such mattresses are prescribed by physicians forpatients having ditficulties with their backs. Such hard mattresses haverelatively rigid springs and do not accommodate to the weight of theuser. a

Many persons have found such hard mattresses to be most uncomfortable,with the result that the normal sleeping habits of such persons havebeen interfered with.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel mattress.

This invention has as another object'the provision of a mattress havingrelatively rigid springs, but presenting the feel of a relatively softmattress. i i

Other objects will-appeanhereinafter, I i

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it beingunderstoocl,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts: I

Figure l is a perspective view of the mattress of the subject invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mattress of the subjectinvention taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

The mattress of the present invention is designated generally as 10. Themattress comprises the spring unit 12, the top pillow portion 14, andthe bottom pillow portion 16. Since the top and bottom pillow portions14 and 16 are identical, my description will be confined to the toppillow portion 14. However, it is to be understood that the descriptionof the top pillow portion 14 is equally applicable to the bottom pillowportion 16.

The spring unit 12 includes a plurality of coil springs 18 ofconventional construction clipped to top and bottom wire frames 19 ofconventional construction. A wide variety of coil springs 18 may beutilized in the mattress of the subject invention, and no particularclaim as to any type of coil spring construction is made herein.Preferably the coil springs 18 should be relatively rigid so as toconfer upon the mattress 10 the property of constituting a mattress ofthe hard type.

The spring unit 12 is encased within a top pair of sisal pads 20 and 21and a bottom pair of sisal pads 22 and 23. A stabilizing anchoragemember, such as a Permalator (a pair of parallel twine strands connectedby wire crosspieces), is provided intermediate each of the top andbottom pairs of sisal pads.

Since the mattress 10 is symmetrical above and below the spring unit 12,the description herein will be confined to the portion of such mattress10 above the spring unit 12.

The Permalator 24 intermediate the sisal pads 20 and 2,975,437 PatentedMar. 21, 1961 21 serves to distribute forces exerted on the sisal pads20 and 21 and to prevent bunching up thereof. The sisal pad 21 is widerthan the wire frame 1?, sisal pad 20, or the Permalator 24, the width ofthe sisal pad 20 and Permalator 24 being that of the wire frame 19, sothat the ends of thesisal pad 21 embrace the Permalator 24, sisal pad 20and wire frame 19. The overlapped end portions are joined together bythe staples 25. Such staples 25 pass through the top part of sisal pad21, the Permalator 24, the sisal pad 20, the wire. frame 19, and

. the bottom part of sisal pad 21.

Felt layers 26 and 28 are disposed on the outer surfaces of the sisalpads 21 and 23.

Since the felt layers 26 and 28 are identical, a description of feltlayer 26 will be adequate for an understanding of the present invention.

The felt layer 26 is wider than the sisal pad 21, so that the ends ofthe felt layer 26 embrace the ends of the sisal pad 21. The felt layer26 is supported by the sisal pad 21, the Permalator 24, the sisal pad20, and the wire frame 19. The anchorage of the felt layer 26 to theseelements will be described below.

The top pillow portion 14 comprises a quilted assembly of the outerticking 30, felt 32, and muslin layer 34. The quilting stitching 36extends through the ticking 3i. and the muslin layer 34 and serves tohold the top pillow portion together, preventing bunching up of thefelt, the muslin layer 34 serving as an anchor for such quiltingstitching.

The amount of felt within the felt portion 32 of the. top pillow portion14 is adjusted so that such top pillow portion .14-confers a sufficientdegree of softness upon the mattress 10 without interfering with thetherapeutic quali-i 14 to the ticking 30. The flap 40 comprises the sideof the top pillow portion 14.

The flap 40 is sewn to the two additional llaps 42 and 44 by thestitching 46. The stitching 46 is disposed at the innermost ends of theflaps 40, 42, and 44, such innermost ends being thereby concealed fromview.

The flap 42 projects laterally and is joined to the binding tape 48.Binding tape 48 is connected to the side ticking 50 of the spring unit12. The flap 42 and the side ticking 50 conceal the flap 44 and theinterior of the spring unit 12.

The flap 44 is anchored by staples 52 to the sandwich of: the top endportion of the felt layer 26, the top end portion of the sisal pad 21,the Permalator 24, the sisal pad 20, the top wire frame 19, the bottomend portion of the sisal pad 21, and the bottom end portion of the feltlayer 26. This anchorage holds the top pillow portion 14 in position,preventing the lateral shift of such top pillow portion 14. Thus, thetop pillow portion 14 may be entirely anchored to the spring unit 12 bythe flaps 44. Such anchorage is readily and rapidly accomplished bystapling. Thus, the need for relatively costly stitching is entirelyeliminated.

As used hereinafter, the flap 40 may be referred to as a first flap andthe fiap 44 may be referred to as a second flap. Hereinafter, the flap42 and the side ticking 50 may be referred to as a side ticking flap.

It is to be understood that a wide variety of changes may be made in themattress of the present invention. For example, a wide variety ofsprings may be used within the spring unit, and a wide variety ofmaterials QWAQ? may be used to replace the Pei-malator, felt, muslin,and sisal above-referred to.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essen;

tial attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made tothe appended claims, rather than to the fore going specification asindicating the scopeofthe invention. I claim: 1. In a mattresscomprising a spring unit, a quilted pillow portion carried above saidspring unit,'face" ticking on the outside face of said pillow'portion, afirst flap joined to the side edges of said face ticking, a second flapstitched to the free end portion of said first flap, a felt layer havinga main portion between said pillow portion and said spring unit, saidfelt layer having an end portion which overlaps anv endofsaid springunitfand extends into said spring unit, meansanchoring said spring unitto said felt layer and said second flap, and aside, ticking flap havingan edge portion joined to and dis-I posed between said first and secondflap, said second flap extending radially outwardly beyond saidanchoring means, said flaps being joined at a point radially in}, wardlyfrom said anchoring means, whereby said side ticking flap conceals saidanchoring means;

2. In a mattress in accordance Withjclairn 1 wherein said anchoringmeans is a staple which extends through said spring unit, felt layer andsecond flap.

3. In a mattress in accordance with claim 1 includinga reinforced sisalpad between said felt layer and said,

spring unit, said sisal pad having an end portionover-r p n a e d o s idr a i i aa s wn' i si te said spring unit, said felt layer end portionbeing jnxta;

posed to, the outer surface of said sisal pad end po rt ion, and saidanchoring means; extending through said springunit, felt layer, endportion, sisalupad end portion. and; said second flap.

4. In a mattress comprising a spring unit, a quiltedpillowbdrtio'ribartied juxtaposed to'each of the'faces of said springunit, a felt layer between each pillow portion and the faces of saidspring unit, said felt layers having an end portion overlapping an endof said spring unit and extending into said spring unit, the endportions of said felt layers within said spring unit being spaced fromone another, a first flap joined to the side edges of a face ticking onthe outside face of each pillow portion, a second flap joined to thefree edge portion of each first flap, a separate means anchoring eachsecond fiap to one of said felt layers and said spring unit, and a sideticking having flaps, eachv side ticking flap having its free edgeportions joined to and disposed between said first and second flaps,said flaps being joined at a point radially inwardly from said anchoringmeans, whereby said side ticking conceals said anchoring means, springunit and felt layers,

5. In a mattress in accordance, with claim 4 including a reinforcedsisal pad between each felt layer and the,

2,200 01'1; Riley May -7, 1940 2,229,385 Munson et al. Jan. 21, 19412,274,027 Allen Feb. 24, 942 2,615,179 Ramage n--. a Oct. 28, 1952;2,629,111 -3 2 5 0 9.56

